‘Mank,’ ‘Tenet,’ ‘Da 5 Bloods’ Win Art Directors Guild Awards

Mank, Tenet, Da 5 Bloods and Soul won the feature film categories during Saturday’s virtual presentation of the 25th Art Directors Guild Awards.

The awards were presented to Mank production designer Donald Graham Burt in the period film competition; Tenet‘s Nathan Crowley, who claimed the fantasy film prize; Da 5 Blood‘s Wynn Thomas, who collected the award for a contemporary film; and Soul‘s Steve Pilcher, who was honored for an animated film.

Over the past five years, the winner of the ADG’s period film prize has gone on to win the Oscar for production design twice, in 2018 for The Shape of Water and in 2020 for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The production design Oscar went to the winner of the fantasy category twice during that time, in 2016 for Mad Max: Fury Road and 2019 for Black Panther. And in 2017, La La Land picked up the ADG Award for a contemporary film on the way to winning the Oscar for production design.

Mank and Tenet, as well as Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, News of the World, Tenet and The Father are nominated for this year’s Oscar in production design. Also Saturday, Mank won the BAFTA in the category.

In the ADG’s TV categories, winners included The Mandalorian, Ozark, The Queen’s Gambit, What We Do in the Shadows, Will & Grace, SNL and Black is King.

ADG President Nelson Coates and Art Directors Council Chair Mark Worthington, opened the show, introducing host JB Smoove. Presenters included Oscar nominees Emerald Fennell, Maria Bakalova and Carey Mulligan.

During the ceremony, Matt Bomer presented Ryan Murphy with the ADG Cinematic Imagery Award. “I want to encourage you all to remain your form of fearless when executives or critics are calling your visions too much. Art directors are auteurs,” Murphy said as he accepted the award. “Thank you for honoring the past and showing us the future.”

Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to production designer Stuart Wurtzel (Hannah and Her Sisters, Angels in America), presented by Fred Schepisi; concept artist John Eaves, (Star Trek series, Captain America: The Winter Soldier) presented by production designer Herman Zimmerman; scenic artist Patrick DeGreve (Three’s Company, Jeopardy) presented by his crew at CBS TV City including Vahe Assadourian, Lisa Frazza, Eddie Gioiosa; and set designer Martha Johnston (Interstellar, Dunkirk), presented by Tenet’s Crowley (the pair have worked together since they first collaborated on The Dark Knight Rises).

“Everything is a collaboration,” Eaves said, saying that he’d like to share his honor with his Star Trek family, Marvel family, his collaborators, friends and family.

The program opened with a one-hour pre-show, featuring clips of previous ceremonies and hosted by Emmy-winning production designer James Pearse Connelly and comedienne Dierdre Friel. A virtual photo booth was available to viewers.

The complete list of winners follows.

PERIOD FEATURE FILM

WINNER Mank, Production Designer: Donald Graham Burt
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Production Designer: Mark Ricker
Mulan, Production Designer: Grant Major
News of the World, Production Designer: David Crank
The Trial of the Chicago 7, Production Designer: Shane Valentino

FANTASY FEATURE FILM

Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, Production Designer: K.K. Barrett
Pinocchio, Production Designer: Dimitri Capuani
WINNER Tenet, Production Designer: Nathan Crowley
The Midnight Sky, Production Designer: Jim Bissell
Wonder Woman 1984, Production Designer: Aline Bonetto

CONTEMPORARY FEATURE FILM 

WINNER Da 5 Bloods, Production Designer: Wynn Thomas
I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Production Designer: Molly Hughes
Palm Springs, Production Designer: Jason Kisvarday
Promising Young Woman, Production Designer: Michael T. Perry
The Prom, Production Designer: Jamie Walker McCall

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

A Shawn the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Production Designer: Matt Perry
Onward, Production Designer: Noah Klocek
WINNER Soul, Production Designer: Steve Pilcher
The Croods: A New Age, Production Designer: Nate Wragg
Wolfwalkers, Production Designers: Ross Stewart, Tomm Moore, Maria Pareja

ONE-HOUR PERIOD OR FANTASY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES

Lovecraft Country: “I Am”
Production Designer: Kalina Ivanov

Perry Mason: “Chapter Three”
Production Designer: John Perry Goldsmith

The Crown: “War”
Production Designer: Martin Childs

WINNER The Mandalorian: “Chapter 13: The Jedi”
Production Designers: Andrew L. Jones, Doug Chiang          

Westworld: “Parce Domine”
Production Designer: Howard Cummings

ONE-HOUR CONTEMPORARY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES

Killing Eve: “Are You from Pinner?”
Production Designer: Laurence Dorman

WINNER Ozark: “Wartime”
Production Designer: David Bomba

The Flight Attendant: “After Dark”
Production Designer: Sara K. White

The Twilight Zone: “Among the Untrodden”
Production Designer: Michael Wylie

Utopia: “Just a Fanboy”
Production Designer: Steve Arnold

TELEVISION MOVIE OR LIMITED SERIES

Fargo, Production Designer: Warren Alan Young
Hollywood, Production Designer: Matthew Flood Ferguson
Little Fires Everywhere, Production Designer: Jessica Kender
The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, Production Designer: Ruth Ammon
WINNER The Queen’s Gambit, Production Designer: Uli Hanisch

HALF HOUR SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES

Dead to Me: “You Don’t Have to Go,” “It Had to Be You”
Production Designer: L.J. Houdyshell

Emily in Paris: “Emily in Paris”
Production Designer: Anne Seibel

Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet: “Pilot”
Production Designer: Mark Worthington

Space Force: “THE LAUNCH”
Production Designer: Susie Mancini

WINNER What We Do in the Shadows: “Resurrection,” “Collaboration,” “Witches”
Production Designer: Kate Bunch

MULTI-CAMERA SERIES

Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love: “Unintended Consequences”
Production Designer: Josee F. Lemonnier

Bob Hearts Abishola: “Randy’s a Wrangler,” “Paris is for Lovers, Not Mothers” “Straight Outta Lagos”
Production Designer: John Shaffner

Family Reunion: “Remember When Jade Was Down with the Swirl?” “Remember When Shaka Got Beat Up?”
Production Designer: Aiyana Trotter

The Neighborhood: “Welcome to the New Pastor,” “Welcome to the Hockey Game”
Production Designer: Wendell Johnson

WINNER Will & Grace: “Accidentally on Porpoise,” “We Love Lucy,” “It’s Time”
Production Designer: Glenda Rovello

SHORT FORMAT: WEB SERIES, MUSIC VIDEO OR COMMERCIAL

Adidas Originals: “Superstar – Change is a Team Sport”
Production Designer: Ruth De Jong

Apple: “Vertical Cinema”
Production Designer: Shane Valentino

Camila Cabello: “My Oh My”
Production Designer: François Audouy

WINNER Harry Styles: “Falling”
Production Designer: François Audouy

Taylor Swift: “Cardigan”
Production Designer: Ethan Tobman

VARIETY, REALITY OR COMPETITION SERIES

Earth to Ned: “Ned: The Musical”
Production Designer: Darcy Prevost

WINNER Saturday Night Live: “Host: John Mulaney + Music: David Byrne,” Host: Adele + Music: H.E.R.,” “Host: Dave Chappelle + Music: Foo Fighters”
Production Designers: Keith Raywood, Eugene Lee, Akira Yoshimura, N. Joseph De Tullio

The Masked Singer: “The Season Premiere – The Masks Return”
Production Designer: James Connelly

The Voice: “Live Finale Ep. 18,” “The Blind Auditions, Season Premiere Ep. 1,”The Battles Premiere Ep. 6”
Production Designers: Zeya Maurer, James Connelly, Anton Goss

Wheel of Fortune: “Consumer Cellular Secret Santa,” “Fabulous Food”
Production Designer: Renee Hoss-Johnson

VARIETY SPECIAL

WINNER Black Is King
Production Designers: Hannah Beachler, Carlos Laszlo, Susan Linss, Miranda Lorenz, Brandon Mendez, Rika Nakanishi, Ethan Tobman

Democratic National Convention 2020
Production Designer: Bruce Rodgers

Super Bowl Half Time Show Starring Jennifer Lopez & Shakira
Production Designer: Bruce Rodgers

The Oscars
Production Designer: Jason Sherwood

Yearly Departed
Production Designer: Suzuki Ingerslev